Reclaimers
The Reclaimers is one of the Loyalist Space Marine Chapters founded as part of the Astartes Praeses -- one of the 20 Chapters of Astartes mentioned in the ancient tome known as the Mythos Angelica Mortis created to defend the regions surrounding the Eye of Terror in the Segmentum Obscurus from the Forces of Chaos. The Reclaimers is a Chapter of unknown Founding and origin. Like the Iron Hands, the Reclaimers possess unusually close ties with the Adeptus Mechanicus for a Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. The level of technology and weaponry used by the Reclaimers appears to be higher than the Imperial average, even among the usually well-equipped Astartes, leading many outsiders to suspect that its Armoury is particularly extensive and diverse. The Reclaimers' Power Armour is noted to be highly decorative and finely-crafted. Chapter History escorting Commissar Ciaphas Cain aboard the Space Hulk Spawn of Damnation]] Notable Campaigns *'Defence of Corania (Unknown Date.M41)' – The Tyranids attacked the Imperial world of Corania without warning, forcing every Imperial Guard regiment on the planet to resist ferociously for nearly a year before the fleet from the Imperial Navy and several companies drawn from both the Reclaimers and the Swords of the Emperor Chapters turned the tide. *'Interitus Prime Incident (928.M41)' – A Reclaimers company under the command of Captain Gries was tasked with the investigation of a mysterious subterranean archeotech structure on the desolate world of Interitus Prime. Upon further investigation they soon realised that it was actually a Necron tomb complex. As they were placing demolition charges to destroy the foul xenos, Commissar Ciaphas Cain burst forth unexpectedly from a Warp Portal, fleeing for his life from another tomb complex. He was the only survivor as the Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator team he was attached to had been entirely wiped out by the waking Necrons. *'Cleansing of Viridia (928-958.M41)' - The Reclaimers made their first landing on Viridia in Fidelis, at the palace of the Imperial Governor DuPanya, losing no time in breaking the heretical siege lines which had kept the Emperor's anointed custodian of the planet confined and powerless to intervene directly in the constant turmoil of civil strife which had done so much to mar the fair face of Viridia. The cathedral of Fidelis, always a beacon of hope, and therefore under constant threat from the dissident elements, was liberated within the hour, as was the shrine of the Omnissiah, freeing the Tech-priests to begin ministering to the city's wounded Machine Spirits with the utmost dispatch. Perhaps the most desperate battles were those to eliminate the artillery batteries which the rebels had set up to prevent a mass landing of Imperial Guard troops, which, if left in place, would have taken a terrible toll in lives and resources. The mission to remove one such battery was led by Captain Gries of the Reclaimers' expeditionary force and his Command Squad, while the task of placing a beacon to guide the teleporting strike team which destroyed the other was entrusted to none other than Commissar Ciaphas Cain, accompanied by Colonel Mira DuPanya, the governor's youngest daughter and a formidable warrior in her own right. Both missions ended in unqualified success, with the complete destruction of the designated targets, although one was to have unexpected and serious consequences. DuPanya and Cain's reconnaissance en route to their destination had revealed the true nature of the enemy the Imperial forces were facing, and, for the first time, the full extent of the hideous conspiracy gnawing away at the fabric of their society became clear. The world of Viridia was infested with the taint of Tyranid Genestealers. Over the following days, the full extent of the Genestealer Cult operating on the planet became clear. The psychic xenos had infiltrated nearly every part of Viridian society; from the local Adeptus Arbites to the sanitation workers' guild. The job of cleansing the tainted world was not easy. Fortunately, additional Imperial Guard troopships arrived with the added support of a few score thousand Guardsmen from Tallarn, Vostroyan and Caledonian regiments. Captain Gries had made no secret of the fact that he intended pulling his forces out to look for a more interesting war as soon as the Reclaimers had finished cleansing the offworld habitats, and when the Astartes left Viridia there would hardly be any need for them to continue liaising with the Imperial Guard. Almost a decade was to pass before the Inquisition's Ordo Xenos felt able to declare Viridia free of xenos taint with any degree of certainty, and the local authorities remain vigilant for any sign of a renewed outbreak to this day. Conferring with the Acolytes of the Omnissiah, the head Magos of Viridian identified the source of the Genestealer taint -- a Space Hulk designated the Spawn of Damnation. This ancient vessel was first sighted in 447.M36, in the Spinward Drift. The Hulk had emerged from Warp space into the Viridian System in 781.M41. A system defence boat was despatched to investigate but the Hulk had disappeared back into the Immaterium. Though the derelict had only been in-system a few hours, somehow the Genestealers aboard the Hulk had managed to infect one of the local spacefaring vessels, which had reached the world of Viridian. By entering the Warp at the same point that the Spawn of Damnation had, the Reclaimers intended to find the Space Hulk and cleanse it of the xenos. But the Reclaimers' true intentions were to explore the venerable Space Hulk, for it would surely be a repository of archeotech almost beyond imagining. The local system's PDF commanders wanted to blast the Space Hulk into oblivion before it became a threat to the entire system, but to the Astartes of this Chapter, the potential rewards were well worth the risks. This would prove to be the Reclaimers' undoing, for upon investigation of the wrecked vessel, they were attacked by a large brood of Genestealers, who killed many of the Terminators with the boarding party. Commissar Cain and his aide Jurgen became separated from the group, and spent many hours, perhaps even several standard days, going through the derelict collection of Warp-melded starships in an attempt to circumvent the Genestealer brood. The pair agitated the brood enough that it moved away from the boarding area in pursuit, and the Reclaimers were able to copy data from the Spawn of Damnation's main Cogitators. With some valuable archeotech data recovered in this way, the Imperials were preparing to leave the Hulk when Cain and Jurgen emerged from the vessel's interior intact, albeit in need of a swiftly-provided rescue from the horde of gibbering Genestealers behind them, whom they had also provoked into engaging a group of Orks aboard. The Reclaimers and Adeptus Mechanicus spent the next thirty years exploring the Hulk and recovering archeotech, and landed a volunteer expeditionary force aboard the Hulk before it returned to the Warp in 958.M41. *'Defense of Fecundia (992.M41)' - The Reclaimers and Adeptus Mechanicus took much of the archeotech recovered from the Spawn of Damnation to Fecundia, a Forge World in the Damocles Gulf, and the Chapter maintained a small presence there for the next half-century. In 992.M41 Fecundia came under attack by scouting elements of Hive Fleet Kraken, and the Reclaimers on-planet assisted the Imperial Guard in the defense. Chapter Organisation The Reclaimers' Chapter organisation differs somewhat from the dictates of the Codex Astartes, while remaining true to its tenets at the tactical and squad level. The Reclaimers follow a unique organisation pattern similar to the Iron Hands Chapter. Their unusually close association with the Adeptus Mechanicus is reflected in the various aspects of their Chapter; Reclaimers Techmarines are known to occupy a place of unusual prestige in the Chapter hierarchy, reflecting the Reclaimers' preference for all things technological, and their Apothecaries are known to show exceptional skills in the field of bionics, using their advanced knowledge to surgically graft unusually sophisticated augmetic replacements in place of damaged or lost organic parts. Chapter Beliefs The Reclaimers is a Chapter very similar in culture and organisation to the Iron Hands and their Successor Chapters, possessing an affinity for all things technological and maintaining unusually close ties with the Adeptus Mechanicus. This Chapter is also known to revere the Omnissiah as a figure equal to the Emperor. Its Battle-Brothers are known to salute using the ritual cogwheel gesture generally associated with members of the Mechanicus rather than the usual sign of the Aquila. It has been noted that they may also possess, at least in part, some of the same intolerance of physical or mental weaknesses that the Iron Hands display. These mental obsessions manifest most notably in a distinct preference for high levels of cybernetic replacement amongst their Battle-Brothers as well as their Chapter Serfs. A startling number of the Reclaimers Astartes and non-combatant personnel are known to possess visible augmetics, which either indicates a fair degree of hazard in their occupations (even by the standards of serving aboard an Imperial warship), or the kind of willingness to voluntarily adopt whatever enhancements would assist their work only encountered amongst the servants of the Omnissiah. The reverence with which these Chapter Serfs revere their Astartes masters is second only to their devotion to the Emperor. Notable Reclaimers *'Captain Gries' - Captain and Force Commander of the Reclaimers' expeditionary force sent to Viridia to put down the rebellion against Imperial rule. Chapter Fleet *''Revenant'' (Strike Cruiser) Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The Reclaimers' Chapter colours are off-white with yellow faceplates on their helms and yellow gauntlets. The Power Armour of officers of the Chapter is inlaid with a great deal more ornamentation than the armour of their subordinates, displaying a lustre of gold rather than yellow pigment on the faceplate and gauntlets. Chapter Badge The Reclaimers' Chapter badge is not listed in current Imperial records. Sources *''For The Emperor'' (Novel) by Sandy Mitchell *''The Emperor's Finest'' (Novel) by Sandy Mitchell *''The Greater Good'' (Novel) by Sandy Mitchell *''Echoes of the Tomb'' (Short Story) by Sandy Mitchell es:Recobradores Category:R Category:Astartes Praeses Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Unknown Founding